The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-11-24
THE FARMERS, MOVEMENT.
Chancellor johnson Meets Ben Tillinan
in Debate.

of Marion for once have had an opportu
nifty of hearing both sides of the agricul
tural college question thoroughly dis
cussed. The speeches of Capt. B. R
Tillman and Chancellor W. D. johnson
on last Friday, under the auspices of tn
Marion Fair Company, were full ant
exhaustive, and no person who heart
them went away without having his funt
of information considerably enlarged
and better appreciation of the argu
ments for and against the establishment
of an Independent agricultural school il
South Carolina.
Capt. Tillman's speech was divided
into two divisions, viz: his advocacy o
the establishment of a college for farmers
separate and distinct from the agricultu
raj annex of the South Carolina College
and general arraignment of the bureau
of agriculture for maladministration ii
Office and for their Indifference to the
needs and interests of the farmers, fol
whose protection its organization was
designed. He said that ignorance on the
part of the farmers of the principles
underlying agriculture was one of the
chief causes of the financial depression sc
prevalent throughout the country. The
students that are annually turned ou'
from the literary colleges consider labo,
dishonorable and take up the law, OF
medicine, or the mercantile business as 8
profession and means of support, leaving
agricultural pursuits to those who have
but little education, aud are consequently
ignorant of their own needs. The estab'
lishment of a school where practical
farming is taught and a love of farm work
is cherished and encouraged is the great
need of the farmers. Other professions
have their institutions oflearningintended
for practical training in the great princi'
Piles essential to success in the particular
vocation chosen. There is no reason
why the farmers should not have their
schools. They pay the taxes, and the
State owes it to them to provide for them
separate agricultural school under their
own management and control, so as to
insure the best and most practical results
therefrom. The expense necessary to
build such an institution was urged as o
great objection to the proposed college,
but however great the expense, the
farmers of the State are entitled to it,
and ought to have it even if some other
interests have to suffer. The Mississippi
College was doing wonderful work for
the farmers of Mississippi. TIE numer'
GUS dairy farms that are now in that
State were the direct outcome of its
establishment. People there have turned
their attention from the production of
cotton to the raising of stock. The stu.
dents of the college that are being yearly
graduated go back to the farm with a
proper knowledge Of the underlying
principles of agriculture, and the whole
State of Mississippi is improving, all
attributable to the great success of her
farmers college.
NJ. Tillman then vigorously attacked
the present board Of agriculture. He
said it vas not composed of farmers, as it
should be, but was dominated by lawyers
and professional men who did not have,
neither could have, the interests of the
farmers at heart. One of them is rail
road commissioner, with salary Of
S2,1OO and another is clerk in the pen
sion Office at Washington. The balance
are, in the main, broken down aristocrets
who have ruled and ruined South
Carolina long enough. They are extrav-
agant in the expenditure of money. They
paid $1,000 for attorneys fees in the
phosphate litigation, when the State
already had sworn and salaried officer,
the attorney general, whose duty it was
to carry on the suits without expense to
the department. They had paid $4,000
for Hand book that was not worth the
paper it was printed on. They were
paying State chemist S2,100, and other
expenses connected with labratory work.
to analyze fertilizers, when they could
get the whole work done for $5 for each
analysis made. The chemist is engaged
only one.half of the year in his work
He alleged that the board did not prose.
cute violations of the fertilizer law, but
seemed to wink at them. Con6scstion
in certain cases is not the remedy, but
indictment.
The commissioner had started out in
1879 with only one clerk, but now he has
to have two for the same work. 1t is the
duty of the commissioner himself to take
all the samples of guano, instead o.
sending agents, who are liable to collude
with the rich guano companies to cover
up their fraud and cheat the buyers, tc
attend all the agricultural meetings and
make it his business to meet the farmers
in all the counties.
The bureau had made haste to establish
two agricultural stations; one in Spar
tanburg and another in Darlington
Notwithstanding several agriculture
meetings had requested that the work b.
delayed until after the passage of tht
Hatch bill. There ought to have beer
but one only, and that in connection
with an agricultural college. He sale
that it was very strange that DR.
Mcbride, who was now overworked
should have been asked to take charg
of them. There must have been SOM
concert of action between the board ant
the trustees of the South Carolina Col
lege, because the trustees very sool
afterwards met and consented TO tn
appointment.